As a music lover, I occasionally put together a few mixes and share some new stuff. I recently began my own playlists at Mixcloud and will share more with you as they come.

Melancholy

Not necessarily sad but a whole lot of mellow. Sometimes we just need to settle back and listen to something that makes us contemplate. Sometimes we just need a soundtrack to match that rainy day. No matter the reason, a nice melancholy song can actually be uplifting rather than a drag. On this grey day, here are a couple of hours of those kinds of songs. Enjoy.

Out of the Shadows, Into the Spotlight

Even when we're not loved, our voices are. There's something validating about a black woman's voice backing another vocalist. Here I present some good collaborations that prominently featured black women in the background or as guest vocalists then give them their due with their own performances.

(Re)Incarnations

Face it. A good song is a good song. That's why some people keep doing them over and over. In many cases, I can trace back a song to its origin by the one that was out when I was a child. So today, I'm doing something a little different. I'm presenting the same playlist - in three different versions. If you're me, then you traced songs like "Come Together" and "Killing Me Softly" in reverse order than presented here. You also like every version of the song and appreciate each artist's take on it. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

I Got a Fever

Yes, this is all about that wonderful but often overlooked instrument called The Cowbell - at least overlooked until that classic SNL skit that Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken nailed. However, you won't find Blue Oyster Cult on this list. Instead, I've put together a list of awesome cowbell songs from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Run DMC. So sit back for a couple of hours and enjoy that distinct ting of the cowbell. Listen for double doses of Stevie Wonder, Santana and, of course, Jimi Hendrix. Rock the bells!

And of course I forgot a couple...

Jaded: Anti-Love Songs for Valentine's Day

Yeah, it's a bit of a cliche, but we all love to hate Valentine's Day. Whether you are single, newly dumped or just don't have the love in you, this list is for you. I even threw in a double dose of the one and only Betty Davis for your listening pleasure.

How. the. hell. did. I. forget. this. for. Jaded?!?!?!?!

Take a Little Trip: Psychedelic Soul

Psychedelic soul, black rock or black psychedelia: don't let the funk fool you. In the 60s and 70s, black artists were on their own trip. I heard it while I was listening to Minnie on my MP3 and thought about some of the other artists of the time like Shuggie Otis and Eugene McDaniels who were on some other isht at the time as well. Even Motown got in on it when Norman Whitfield created The Undisputed Truth and produced the Psychedelic Soul album for The Temptations in the early 70s. It all resulted in some complete awesomeness and some of it has been collected here for you. I thought about cutting this list in two parts because it is more than 2 hours long, but, hey, it's a trip. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Cold Winter 90s Evening

So it's cold with winter well underway. If you're lucky, you're spending it with someone. For those nights in, a good playlist can make the evening even better. Back in the day, I knew all the risque music and was the queen of soundtracks like Jason's Lyrics, A Low Down Dirty Shame and Love Jones that had some of the best tracks you needed to take to the bedroom. In honor of those who like to spend cold winter evenings in a special way, I've put together some of the best from the 90s that's about... you know. Many of these artists had their peak during the 90s but a few have fallen by the wayside even though they left us with some great tracks and awesome memories. Look for a few double doses from a few artists. I hope you find some of your favorites here and have the opportunity to enjoy this mix with that special someone.

*Sigh* Not Another Effing End of Year Countdown... Part 2

Since I have gotten more comfortable with downloading, I get anything that is free and occasionally come across some very good stuff. I also go through various sites like Afro-Punk, Neo-Soul Cafe, Indie R&B (on Tumblr) and my favorite music podcasts Kinda Black Radio and Radio Nowhere to find new things as well as what I have missed over the past couple of years. Not only have I found that there is a lot of good stuff, but I also found that there are lots of good music that has been slept on. Some I have heard of but haven't gotten around to listening (Carolina Chocolate Drops) while others have actually been around for some time and are finally getting their due (Santogold). In any case, this music was all released before 2012 but just now got around to my rotation. If it hasn't been on yours, hopefully you'll check out some of these amazing artists.

*Sigh* Not Another Effing End of Year Countdown... Part 1

At least it's not a formal countdown. I managed to find 25 songs released this year that managed to break through the noise and clutter since I have become more receptive to downloading music, especially music given away for free. Nearly everyone on this list are people I have only begun to listen to this past year or within the past couple of years. Elegant Animals almost made it as my favorite music of the year, but my favorite contemporary musician released a new album just this past November and nothing will beat her as my favorite. In this spirit, she is saved for last. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this list as many of the artists have not yet broken through the mainstream. Yeah, there is a lot of independent music here. And Canadians. There are a lot of damn Canadians on this list.

Afro-Goth(ic): For the Winter Solstice

I would never have called myself goth even though I have had a tendency to wear all black since my childhood. I am simultaneously drawn to the dark and afraid of it. Yet I find it beautiful. However, when I found out that there are actually black folks who consider themselves goth, I had to embrace it - the subculture within a subculture. Of course, I began to look for music to commemorate the lifestyle.

Most of the artists on this playlist would not consider themselves goth or even making goth music. However, I feel they are perfect and represent the diversity within the Afro-goth community. It's not all about sound even though some of the songs here set the atmosphere or ambiance just right. Sometimes the subject matter of the song has a bit of a gothic feel even if the music is not necessarily industrial. Whether you agree with my take or not, I hope you enjoy this cloudcast with double doses of Mirel Wagner and Light Asylum.

AfroFuturism: A Tribute to Jimi and His Ilk

Sun Ra gets most of the credit for being one of the forefathers of afrofuturism in music. However, in homage of the anniversary of my past life husband’s day of birth, I am creating this mix in tribute to him. Jimi Hendrix is afrofuturism just as much as Sun Ra, Parliament and the many other afrofuturists that have followed them. He fused the music of his past with what was current at the time and made it timeless. Yes, my man is afrofuturism. If you would like an even better compilation of music, you can go to Sheepish at http://sheepish.org/afrofuturism/ and download its mix for FREE! You can also find some good information and other links about afrofuturism.

Sapiosexuality

We've all heard it: intelligence is sexy. While the physical may be of some importance, ultimately, it's the mind that prevails. Intelligence can come in the form of the brainy, the funny, the artistically inclined and lots of other ways. No matter it's form, it's all sexy as hell. For those of you who get your stimulation from a sexy mind, this is for you.